Chapter 14

1. Woman. No house can be strong unless it be controlled by a wise and diligent woman. When the woman of the house is foolish, not only will she neglect to order the house aright, but her foolish behavior will raise up enemies without and stir up strife within (see chs. 24:3; 31:10–31).

2. Feareth the Lord. That is, gives reverence to Him. The fear of the good man is vastly different from the dismay and terror that seize the sinner in those moments when he sees clearly the direction he is going and the fate that awaits him.

Despiseth him. How strange, yet true, that puny man, a mere particle of dust in the scale of the universe, should dare to look down upon the Creator and Upholder of the mighty spheres and their circling planets, or to take His holy name in vain.

3. Lips. The words of the wise man are humble and conciliatory, win friends, and protect from harm (see chs. 13:3; 15:1).

4. Is clean. That is, “empty.” A full crib and a full granary demand hard work on the part of the farmer and require the strength of the oxen for plowing and threshing the grain. One who does not care for his soil cannot expect a rich return (see chs. 12:11; 28:19).

The word here translated “clean,” bar, though it may refer to “moral purity” (Ps. 19:8; 24:4), does not seem to denote “cleanness” in the sense of “emptiness.” Bar may also be translated “grain” (“corn,” KJV, Gen. 41:35; etc.). A slight change in the preceding word permits the translation “where there are no oxen there is no grain.”

5. Will utter lies. Literally, “breatheth forth lies.” The righteous man naturally breathes out truth (see on ch. 12:17), and the false witness, lies. The faithful witness cannot and will not lie (see ch. 13:5).

6. Knowledge is easy. The difference between the one who fails to find knowledge and the one who gains wisdom is in the manner of seeking. The scorner is unprepared to accept instruction, and consequently when he seeks wisdom “it is not” (literal rendering). The man of understanding humbles himself to listen to his instructors. He does not blindly accept everything he is told, but he listens to, then proves, all things. As a result he finds much acceptable knowledge (Ps. 25:9; 1 Thess. 5:21).

7. Go from. This verse reinforces the lesson of ch. 13:20. There is nothing to gain and much to lose by associating with foolish and impenitent companions.

8. Is deceit. The fool deceives others and thinks that he will gain thereby, because he has not troubled himself to consider and evaluate the outcome of his actions. The prudent man shows his wisdom by subjecting every plan and every act to careful scrutiny. He must be satisfied that the course he is pursuing leads to eternal life. He knows that there are forces at work within him and without that are seeking to lead him astray (see Jer. 17:9; Eph. 5:15).

9. Make a mock. Heb. yalis, a singular verb demanding a singular subject. Hence it is more correct to translate the clause, “guilt mocks at fools.” Whether fools mock at sin or not, it is certain that sin mocks at them, for they do not realize how powerful is the hold that wrongdoing has upon them (see ch. 5:22; Ed 291).

10. Bitterness. The first clause reads literally, “the heart knows the bitterness of its soul.” Though friends and loved ones learn to understand something of our joys and sorrows, they can never get within our hearts and experience all that we are feeling of bitterness and sorrow. They are likewise strangers to our joy. However, Jesus knows our deepest sorrows and shares our highest joys (see DA 327).

11. Tabernacle. Heb. Хohel, “tent.” There may be an intended contrast in this verse between the “house” and the “tent.” The wicked man makes all his plans for this life. He seeks to establish himself in a settled and comfortable dwelling. But the righteous man remembers that he is a stranger and a pilgrim, tenting toward the city of God (see Heb. 11:9, 10). Sooner or later the house of the wicked falls, leaving its once proud owner trembling and shelterless before a righteous Judge. The upright man finds his tent a haven of peace and happiness until his course is run. He awaits the coming of the eternal kingdom, in which he will have a glorious and everlasting mansion (see Prov. 3:33; 12:7; Matt. 7:24–27).

12. Of death. The ways of death here spoken of are not entered into blindly or thoughtlessly. They are chosen with the assurance that they at least seem to be proper under the circumstances. The warning is against trusting to the guidance of the conscience without checking the conscience constantly against the teaching of the Word of God. Many men have persuaded themselves that God will accept a substitute for His precise requirements, only to find that they have lost all. The Roman governor Pilate presents an outstanding example. While he was probably not familiar with the written word, the living Word Himself instructed him by voice and example. The governor thought that he could compromise with evil and still retain his wealth and position, but his compromise led to disgrace and death (Matt. 27:11–26; DA 738).

13. Even in laughter. A reminder of the fact that many a sad heart seeks to hide its trouble under a cloak of careless laughter, and that the wrong kind of mirth can end only in grief (see Eccl. 7:4).

14. The backslider. The backslider has known better things. For him the way of selfish gratifications quickly brings satiation and an inner dissatisfaction, even though that dissatisfaction may not lead to repentance.

From himself. As the backslider is filled with the fruits of his evil ways, so the good man is filled with the fruits of his good ways (see Isa. 3:10). The LXX renders this verse, “A stouthearted man shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.”

15. The simple. Heb. pethi, meaning “simple,” probably in the sense of being open-minded, open to instruction. In a bad sensepethi refers to those easily misled.

16. Feareth. The wise man knows that every pathway is beset with the snares of the adversary, and he cautiously examines every action and every new idea by the light of the Word of God. In this setting it would seem that the raging of the fool is a haughty and self-confident bearing that leaves him a prey to Satan and makes it easy for the adversary to lead him into a trap from which there is little likelihood of escape (see chs. 22:3; 28:26).

17. Wicked devices. Heb. mezimmoth, a word that may be understood in a good sense of “discretion” (chs. 1:4; 2:11; 3:21; 5:2), or in a bad sense of “wicked devices,” as in ch. 12:2 and probably here. If “wicked devices” are understood, then the verse lacks the usual antithetic parallelism. The LXX preserves this parallelism by rendering the verse, “A passionate man acts unconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.”

18. Simple. See on v. 15. The simple refuse to learn, and thus by deliberate choice make themselves heirs to the father of all folly. The prudent man seeks for wisdom and receives knowledge as a crown of honor and of victory.

19. At the gates. This verse is not invariably fulfilled in this life; though, even here, the wicked sometimes find the tables reversed so that they are forced to bow before the righteous. As the allegorical rich man was ready to bow before Abraham and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), so all the wicked will one day bow outside the New Jerusalem and acknowledge the justice of their exclusion from heaven (see Rev. 20:9, 12; GC 666–669).

20. Hated. Too often the poor man is worthy of honor and the rich man mean and overbearing, and yet the one is neglected and the other lauded by his fellows (see James 2:1–6; cf. Prov. 18:5; 24:23; 28:21).

22. Do they not err? The purpose of the question is to make a strong assertion. Even if there were no God and no eternal reward, it would still pay to “devise good” and thus encounter kindness and trustworthiness in those around. Mercy occurs in combination with truth (Ps. 61:7; 85:10; Prov. 3:3; 16:6).

24. Riches. Apparently more than material riches are meant here, for the wise are often comparatively poor. However, the wise do handle the means they have in a way that brings honor to their name, and they possess spiritual and intellectual riches as well.

Foolishness. Heb. Хiwweleth. This same word is translated “folly” later in this verse. ХIwweleth comes from the root Хul, which means (1) “to be foolish,” (2) “to be strong,” “to be elevated.” It has been suggested that Solomon was using a play on words, as was common in ancient times, and that the first occurrence of Хiwweleth is derived from meaning (1) and the second occurrence from meaning (2). Such a derivation could yield the following meaning of the proverb: “While the use made by the wise of their wealth is an ornament to them, the elevation of fools, so far from honoring them, serves only to reveal their foolishness.” However, the interpretation is conjectural. Though the two meanings of the root can be demonstrated, no derivation of the root spelled as in the text, and meaning “elevation,” can be found.

25. A true witness. When lives are at stake through false accusation, the brave witness of an honest man may save them. When the evidence of liars is accepted without close investigation, the whole system of justice is rendered unreliable.

27. The fear of the Lord. Compare chs. 8:13; 19:23.

28. Multitude of people. Not in war and conquest is the king’s honor, but in the multitude of his subjects living in peace and security.

29. Slow to wrath. The order of words suggests that great understanding follows self-control, and that is true; but it is also true that the greater the understanding, the greater the self-control. It has been said that to understand all would be to forgive all. Much of a man’s nature is due to his inheritance and his environment. When we understand the factors that have brought about another’s untrustworthiness or his quick temper, our exasperation is lessened. This is not to say that a man’s character is determined by his environment, and that thus there is an excuse for his sin. But inheritance and surroundings often present great handicaps to successful character development.

The man who is quick-tempered exhibits folly where all can see it. He reveals his own lack of understanding and of self-control, and these are some of the chief marks of a fool. The wisest man takes leave of his wisdom when he loses his temper, and for the time he becomes a fool. His habits of wise action may prevent his outburst from being as foolish as that of a less wise man, but in the heat of the moment he stands in danger of abandoning conscious control of his words or actions (see Num. 20:7–13; PP 417–421).

30. The life. A sound heart makes for a sound body. Many real sicknesses and deformities have been found to be due to the harboring of jealousy, guilt, and anger, and cures have been wrought by restoring tranquillity and trust to the soul (see MH 241–258).

31. Mercy on the poor. The neglect of and contempt for the poor has been the common attitude wherever and whenever the revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures has been absent. This attitude is in marked contrast with the insistence of the Bible that the poor are a trust that God has confided to His more fortunate people (see John 12:8). Israel had a system of land ownership designed to preserve for every family their piece of land, and many regulations to ease the lot of the unfortunate (see Lev. 25:10, 23–28; Deut. 15:7–11; MH 184, 185).

Because God has permitted poverty to exist, partly as a demonstration of the results of sin and of indolence, and partly as a test of the generosity of His people, those who do not aid the poor are dishonoring and disobeying the Father of all (see Mark 10:21; 14:7; Gal. 2:10).

32. Driven away. The Hebrew for this clause may better be rendered, “cast down in his calamity.” The contrast, then, is between the sinner who faces calamity without the assurance of protection from God, because he has failed to serve Him faithfully in times of peace and prosperity, and the good man who can face certain death with the calm trust that has carried him through life.

33. Resteth. The verse may be paraphrased thus: “Wisdom abides quietly in the inner part of the wise man, but fools loudly advertise what little wisdom is within them.” The LXX avoids the difficulty of assigning wisdom to the fool by rendering the second clause, “but in the heart of fools it [wisdom] is not discerned.”

34. Exalteth a nation. Righteousness here implies rightdoing in every relationship. In the case of individuals, the results of rightdoing or wrongdoing are not always immediately apparent. Some good men have spent their lives in want and woe, while wicked men have seemed to enjoy the pleasures of sin. The psalmist observed this seeming reversal of the divine rule, and only by looking to the future rewards was he reassured as to the dealings of God with man (Ps. 73). But in the case of nations this statement appears to be more generally worked out, even though the working may be slow. Nations are given a period of probation to see whether they will fulfill the divine purpose or not. When they reject God’s principles they invite ruin (see PK 502, 535).

35. King’s favour. Although God permits His children to come into difficulties in order that they may learn lessons that will prepare them for eternal life, and while some evildoers manage to escape the consequences of their acts for a time, this proverb is still true in its general application. These statements or any statement of a general truth must not be reversed and used to condemn particular men or nations of sin because they are in trouble or to prove that a man who enjoys the blessings of a righteous man is necessarily righteous (see DA 470, 471).

A wise servant. Again and again the truth stated in v. 35 found its way into the parables and other teachings of Jesus. This contrast is particularly emphasized in the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11–27) and in that of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30). He who pretends to serve and yet acts without discretion earns censure and contempt.

Ellen G. White comments

9    Ed 291

12   DA 738; PK 57; PP 55, 361, 634, 720

23   AH 391; Ed 135

26   MH 250

29   2T 164, 426

32   PK 264

34        Ed 47, 175; GC 277; MM 113; PK 502